If you’re looking for how to prepare for a sales interview, you’re in the right place.
Sales is one of the best careers out there, but these positions have some of the toughest interviews. You’ll face questions about your mental toughness, why you want to work in sales, past challenges and success, and more.
So how do you prepare for a sales job interview to land the job? This article is going to show you EXACTLY how, step-by-step.
If you have a sales job interview coming up or you’re hoping to find a sales job, then keep reading…
Sales Interview Tips: How to Prepare For a Sales Job Interview
What’s Different About a Sales Job Interview?
Let’s talk about what is different in a sales job interview first. Then I’ll cover some basic interview preparation tips that you should follow.
First off, when you prepare for a sales job interview you need to show that you’re driven and motivated.
Sales has its ups and downs and companies don’t want to worry that they’re hiring someone who will constantly need encouragement if they have a bad week. So prepare to show them you’re resilient and have faced challenges in your life and career.
Think of one or two examples of past challenges or tough weeks you’ve faced at work and how you’ve overcome them.
This will prepare you to answer questions like, “Tell me about a time you failed?”
In fact, even when you answer a basic intro question like, “Tell me about yourself,” you should already be thinking about how to show the resilient, motivated attitude that employers want in a sales interview.
Don’t Tell Them You Expect It To Be Easy
That brings me to the next point. You need to show them that you KNOW that having bad days and weeks is a part of working in sales.
The ups, the downs, and the challenges are normal. Hearing “no” multiple times per day is expected. So you need to show them that you know this is how it works.
Part of preparing for a sales interview is thinking about how you’ll convince the interviewer that you’re ready for these challenges.
If you’ve worked a sales job in the past, that’s the easiest way to prove you’re ready for this. If not, think about what you’ve done in the past that’s most similar.
It’s Okay To Talk About Money
There’s also another difference between sales job interviews and every other type of job interview out there.
Most of the time in sales job interviews, it’s okay to talk about money and say you’re motivated by money. So prepare a few reasons why you want this job, and don’t be afraid to include high earnings potential as one reason you are interested.
“Why Do You Want To Work In Sales?”
If you already work in sales… you should be able to explain why you like it and want to continue doing it.
If you’re preparing to interview for your first sales job, this is even more important. Have a reason for why you’re interested in sales in general.
I’ve interviewed plenty of recent graduates and entry level candidates for sales positions in one of my former companies. And we would NOT hire you if you didn’t know why you wanted to work in sales.
And also, it’s a big “red flag” if our company is the only sales position you’re applying for. If I ask what other jobs you’re looking at, and none of them are sales, I’m going to wonder why you’re here (and then I’m not going to hire you).
So lie if you have to, but don’t tell the interviewer that their job is the only sales position you are interviewing for.
Show Energy/Enthusiasm
You need to show them you’re excited about landing this job if you want them to hire you.
So don’t just say, “Yes, I really want to work in sales.” Show energy and enthusiasm when you do it.
This includes having strong body language, maintaining eye contacting, and having some energy in your voice.
Don’t say it quietly and timidly. I’m not saying you need to shout, but just turn your energy up a bit higher than usual if you’re naturally quiet/introverted.
(FYI you can absolutely be GREAT at sales even if you’re an introvert. I’ve seen it many times).
So raise your energy level a bit for your sales interviews, and try to match the person you’re speaking to. If they’re energetic and excited, add a bit of that to your own communication.
If you’re on a phone interview, stand up and smile while you talk. Those are two ways to change how you sound.
I’m not telling you to be completely fake. Tons of GREAT salespeople are introverts. I am, and I did fine working in sales. But you can’t go into the interview mumbling under your breath and acting half asleep if you want to get the job.
Having low energy is one of the top reasons for not getting hired in a sales job interview.
Stories and Accomplishments Are Your Best Weapon
This is going to be tougher if you’re interviewing for an entry level job and you have no sales experience. But try to think of ways to do this either way…
When you preparing for a sales job interview, the hiring manager is going to want to hear specific examples of past accomplishments that relate to the job. Talking on the phone, convincing people to see things your way, being a good listener, overcoming objections, dealing with failures and setbacks, etc.
If you’ve worked in sales before, you’ll want to give specific results you achieved. Get detailed; talk about exact numbers and accomplishments. I recommend this on your resume too FYI.
But even if you’re a recent graduate or entry level job seeker without sales experience… you can talk about using persuasion to make people see things your way, or how you convinced somebody of something in a class project or internship.
You can also definitely talk about a challenge you’ve overcome, and a time a project didn’t go how you expected but you overcame the obstacle.
Those are two things you’re almost sure to be asked about.
Have One Big Thing That Motivates You
This is important when preparing for any interview, but is especially important for a sales job interview. Why? because things tend to get tough in sales, and the hiring manager wants to make sure you have a powerful motivator so you don’t give up and quit.
This one big motivator can be many things: The desire to build a career you’re proud of. The desire to earn a lot of money and buy nice things for your family. A love of challenges and pushing your limits professionally. A passion for talking to people, using persuasion, etc. Or come up with your own reason for why you get out of bed and go to work each morning. But have one big, powerful reason.
Prepare For Behavioral Questions
These are questions that start with phrases like: “tell me about a time you…”
Come up with one of the following:
- A time you overcame a challenge
- A time you had to convince somebody to see things your way
- A time you failed and what you learned from it
- Your proudest accomplishment or achievement
- A time you were under a tight deadline and how you handled it
There are over 50 behavioral questions you could be asked, but these are things you’re likely to be asked in almost every sales interview.
Next up, I’m going to cover some basics you should know for any interview, including your sales interview.
Know EVERYTHING Here:
There’s some basic stuff you should do to prepare for any interview. I cover it in-depth in this interview preparation article, but here’s the basic idea…
You should know all of these things before the start of your interview (and be able to explain them well)…
- Why you’re job searching right now
- Why you’re interested in their job/company in particular
- What the job involves (read the job description before you go in!)
- A good reason for why you left your last job (if you’re unemployed right now)
- Who you’re speaking with and what their background is (go spy on them on LinkedIn)
You should also know all of these things about the company…
- How do they make money? What do they sell?
- Who are their customers?
- Who are their biggest competitors?
- Who is their CEO and how/why were they founded?
You’re Ready for Your Sales Job Interview!
If you followed the steps above, you now know how to prepare for a sales job interview, and you’ll be much better prepared than the average job seeker!
Many job seekers feel blindsided by some of the tough questions they hear in a sales interview, but if you study the questions and sales interview tips above, you will be ready.
Don’t forget to practice your answers at home, too, though. That’s my final tip for preparing for your sales interview.
Nothing comes out perfect the first time, so practice the questions we looked at. You can talk in the mirror, record yourself on your smartphone and play it back, etc.
And if there’s one final thing I want to stress/repeat to you, it’s this: Prepare to talk a LOT about why you want to work in sales or why you enjoy working in sales.
Most companies have their own sales training methods, their own scripts for emailing and calling, etc. So they’ll teach you the “how”. But they need to make sure you’re motivated and that you know what you’re getting into (a rewarding, but emotionally challenging career).
You’re not going to pass your sales interview if you act like you expect sales to be easy. Show them you know it comes with mental challenges. When things get tough, they want to make sure you’ll stick around… so acknowledge that you know this and expect it!
If you have a question about any of the above tips for preparing for a sales interview, leave a comment below!